I am officially old: HARVARD-RoboBees to pollinate our crops
Overview of the Micro Air Vehicles Project
INSPIRED by the biology of a bee and the insect’s hive behavior …we aim to push advances in miniature robotics and the design of compact high-energy power sources; spur innovations in ultra-low-power computing and electronic “smart” sensors; and refine coordination algorithms to manage multiple, independent machines.
Practical Applications
-Coordinated agile robotic insects can be used for a variety of purposes including:
-autonomously pollinating a field of crops;
-search and rescue (e.g., in the aftermath of a natural disaster);
-hazardous environment exploration;
-military surveillance;
-high resolution weather and climate mapping; and
-traffic monitoring.
These are the ubiquitous applications typically invoked in the development of autonomous robots. However, in mimicking the physical and behavioral robustness of insect groups by coordinating large numbers of small, agile robots, we will be able to accomplish such tasks faster, more reliably, and more efficiently.
Vision and Aims
The collaborators envision that the Nature-inspired research could lead to a greater understanding of how to artificially mimic the collective behavior and “intelligence” of a bee colony; foster novel methods for designing and building an electronic surrogate nervous system able to deftly sense and adapt to changing environments; and advance work on the construction of small-scale flying mechanical devices.
More broadly, the scientists anticipate the devices will open up a wide range of discoveries and practical innovations, advancing fields ranging from entomology and developmental biology to amorphous computing and electrical engineering.
Through a relationship with the Museum of Science, Boston, the team will also create an interactive exhibit to teach and inspire future scientists and engineers.
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Robotic Insects Could Pollinate Flowers and Find Disaster Victims
In five years, the group hopes to have dozens of RoboBees that fly and coordinate with one another. Down the road, the ’bots could monitor environmental hazards or search for survivors after a natural disaster. Collaboration is key for bees and the scientists, Wood says: “No one bee would be successful with these missions on its own. The same is true for us.” Here, a look at how a hive of RoboBees might operate.